Fire-escape



(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. TALBOTT.

FIRE ESGAPE No.474,876.- Patented May 17, 1892.

Willard Ta (No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. TALBOTT.

' FIRE ESCAPE. I

No. 474,876. Patented May 17, 1892.

THE uonms nuns co., rum-m. llll wsumm'ou o. c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD TALBOTT, OF OAKSDALE, WASHINGTON.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,876, dated May 17, 1892. Application filed September 16, 1891. Serial No. 405,904. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD TALBOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oaksdale, in the county of Whitman and State of Yashington, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, strong, and durable fire-escape which will be portable, adapted to be readily put in position, and capable of rapldly and safely transferring persons and property from high parts of buildings to the ground.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tower fire-escape constructed in acoordauce with this invention and shown in operative position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the upper section being lowered. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a reverse plan view.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 designate sections of a tower adapted to be arranged and extended as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings and to be lowered or folded, as shown in Fig. 2, and each consisting of four pairs of uprights 3 and 4, sliding on each other and arranged in the form of a rectangle, one pair of uprights of each section being arranged at each side. The lower section 2 has a base 5, which is rectangular and is mounted upon wheels 6, and the upper section is provided at the top with a platform 7, which has a central opening to receive an elevator-car 8, adapted to be raised and lowered to transfer persons and articles from the top of the car to the base, the tower forming a shaft for the elevatorcar. The tower is slightly tapering, and the sections are provided with keepers or guides 9, arranged at the lower ends of the uprights 3 of the upper section 1 and at the upper ends of the uprights 4 of the lower section 2, andwhich securely fasten the contiguous uprights together and permit the same to slide freely. The upper section 1 is elevated by cables 10, which each have one end wound around a supplemental Windlass 11 and its other end secured to across-bar 12, connecting thelower ends of the uprights 3 of the upper section, and they pass over pulleys 13, depending from cross-bars 14, connecting the upperends of the uprights 4 of the lower section 2. The cables are guided to the supplemental windlass by pulleys 13, arranged on the base. The

supplemental Windlass 11 is arranged on the lower face of the base and is journaled in suitable bearings, and it has one end extended beyond the base and carrying a pinion 15, meshing with a cog-wheel 16, arranged on a shaft 17 and receiving motion from a masterwheel 18 of the shaft 19 of amain Windlass 20.

The elevator-car 8 is raised by cables 25, each having one end secured to the elevatorcar and its other end wound around the main Windlass 20, and they extend from the elevator-car S to the platform 7 of the tower and pass over suitable pulleys 21 and extend therefrom to the base 5 of the tower, where they pass under pulleys 22 and through openings 23 of the base 5 and under the shaft 17 before being wound around the main Windlass 20, and those portions of the cables extending from the base to the platform serve as guides to steady the elevator-car and are arranged at the corners of the same and pass through suitable openings 24: therein.

The platform of the tower has a suitable railing 26, and is designed to be adjusted vertically to a position opposite a window orroof of a building, and in practice the platform will be provided with a hinged gangway or plank to span the space or distance between the tower and a building, whereby people are enabled to readily walk out to the tower, whence they may be quickly and safely transferred by the elevator-car to the base of the tower.

The gear-wheel 18 at the end of the windlass may be shifted on the shaft 19 so that it will not mesh with the cog-wheel 16, whereby the Windlass may be operated without imparting motion to the mechanism for raising and lowering the upper section of the tower.

The tower is especially advantageous in savinglife and property, butmaybe employed In a fire-escape, the combination of a tower provided with a base and having a platform and composed of sections sliding on each other and forming an elevator-shaft, a Windlass, a

ear arranged in the elevator-shaft and provided at each corner With an opening, pulleys depending from the platform, and cables 25, each having one end secured to the elevatorcar and its other end Wound around a Windlass, said cables extending from the elevator-car to the platform and passing over said pulleys and through the openings of the car to the base, the portions of the cables extending from the platform to the base serving as guides to steady the car, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownIhave hereto aftixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLARD TALBOTT. /Vitnesses:

GHAs. A. BROWN, Ms. A. BYRNS. 

